HUSKEY: It's time to demand property tax reform

Iím fairly confident the majority of people reading this are at least half way through their journey, and some even more so.

We know when we look back on our lives it seems like it happened in the blink of an eye.

How many of you have children who are out on their own now?

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How did that happen, Iíve asked myself more than once.

So when I was thinking about writing this weekís rant, all the time Iíve spent writing the past four columns on property tax reform, and all of the time Iíve spent reading responses, and answering emails about the columns, came to mind.

Iíve done my research and Iíve tried to respond to every email, and there have been a lot of them, and yet thinking about how long itís been since I first started on this crusade seems like just yesterday, but itís actually been more than a month, now.

Some of the letters and emails have been heartbreaking.

ďAs a senior citizen I am being buried by property tax and school taxes. Itís now over $3,000 per year and now that Iím on S/S and a small pension, I would say in about 6 months I will have to decide on medicine, food or taxes.Ē

I received dozens just like this.

One sadder than the next.

How is it possible people who have worked hard their entire lives to have the great American dream are having it taken away from them because we live in a state that canít figure out a funding mechanism for public education?

Several others pointed out what I hadnít thought about, but is an actuality.

ďUnder the present tax structure, it seems like the property owner no longer owns his own home, but it is owned by the school district whose costs continue to rise. This type of servitude must end.Ē

We really donít own our homes anymore.

If we donít pay our taxes they come and take it away from us.

Anyone who has worked to provide a home for their family should always have that security. Your land should be yours for as long as you live, or until you decide to sell it, or pass it along to your children.

There shouldnít be the specter of government looming over your household with its hand forever out, palm open, demanding a stipend simply for allowing us to stay in our homes.

So, we can do one of two things, the first being nothing, which in my life has never been an option. Or, we can demand reform.

If enough people band together we will make a difference.

If enough people demand change, change will happen.

And the time is now.

Iíve received emails from people telling me how theyíve been following this issue for years.

Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, the head of the finance committee where House Bill 76 will sit until at least the end of September, has stated heís worked on it since he took office, in 1996.

How long does it take to figure out a formula for funding public education?

As head of the finance committee, perhaps we can convince Benninghoff to give Warren Buffett or Ross Perot a call. Iím sure either of them could come up with something within the next month or so, which is about how much time we have until the state legislature heads back into session.

Thatís not a lot of time.

And I really donít want to be sitting at my desk writing a column about how nothing was done when the legislature went back into session, but you can bet your last dollar I absolutely will if thatís what happens.

All of our state representatives, and state senators, are home for the summer.

Take a moment or two out of your day to contact them.

Weíve given you the numbers on several occasions for elected officials in Montgomery County, and Iím more than happy to track down information for your state rep if you live outside Montgomery County, which I can tell from the emails a lot of you do.

Before you know it, our state legislature will be back in session and theyíll be busy working on the more than 1,600 bills floating around the state capital.

Letís make sure the first bill they address is House Bill 76.

Itís past time.

Stan Huskey is the editor of The Times Herald. He can be reached at 610-272-2500 ext. 215 or at shuskey@timesherald.com. Follow @StanHuskey on Twitter.